Transliteracy as the New Research Horizon for Media and Information Literacy

Abstract

Media and information literacy is a concept that is valid yet at the same time obsolete. It refers back to the modernist era, with its very specific linear view of media. In the cyberist era, characterized by the primacy of online exchanges over offline exchanges, the rise of user-aggregated contents and an increase in strategies between broadcast media and broadband media, literate activities are more complicated and so are the relevant competences expected of users and learners. This article considers the notion of ‘transliteracy’ as a means to harness the potential advantages and mitigate the risks of the so-called ‘Information society’. The new context for media and information literacy is first examined, then a tentative definition of transliteracy is proposed. Lastly, the research questions and areas of exploration are passed in review along with a few proposals.